Taiwan Tracks Six Chinese Naval Vessels Circling Its Waters for Second Consecutive Day
Taiwan Tracks Six Chinese Naval Vessels Circling Its Waters for Second Consecutive Day
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported on Wednesday that six People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected operating around the island as of 6am local time — the second consecutive day Taipei has recorded an identical naval formation in its surrounding waters.
What the MND Reported
In a post on X, the ministry stated: “6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 am (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”
The MND confirmed that no PLA aircraft were detected operating around Taiwan during the same reporting window, noting that no flight path illustration would be provided as a result.
A near-identical report was issued on Tuesday, when six PLAN vessels were also detected near the island’s waters — signalling a pattern of sustained naval presence rather than an isolated incident.
Part of a Broader Military Posture
The repeated sightings reflect an ongoing pattern of Chinese military activity around Taiwan that Taipei has closely monitored in recent years. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve unification.
Taiwan has responded by accelerating its own defence build-up. According to a Reuters report published on 4 June, Taipei plans to expand its anti-ship missile arsenal to more than 1,800 missiles by early 2029.
The stockpile will comprise US-supplied Harpoon missiles and domestically produced Hsiung Feng missiles. Analysts say the expanded arsenal could establish a ‘kill zone’ in the Taiwan Strait, enabling Taiwan to inflict significant losses on any invading naval force.
Submarine Programme Advances
In a separate but related development, Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine has departed from the port of Kaohsiung for a new round of sea trials, according to Taiwanese media reports.
The submarine programme represents a significant milestone in Taiwan’s push for indigenous defence capabilities, reducing its dependence on foreign military hardware at a time of heightened cross-strait tensions.
